Vegetable slicing machine



Nov. 1, 1960 H. K. WAlG VEGETABLE SLICING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledMarch 13, 1959 INVENTOR. Howmzo K.WAI1G- AT To QNEYS W W, m

Nov. 1, 1960 K w G 2,958,354

VEGETABLE SLICING MACHINE Filed March 13, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheetv 2 IN V ENTOR.

HOLUAZD K.WAIG- BY %%w@w; W *EW ATTozuEYs United States Patet VEGETABLESLICING MACHINE Howard K. Waig, 11 Portland St., Portland, Maine FiledMar. 13, 1959, Ser. No. 799,171

2 Claims. (Cl. 146-113) The present invention relates to a vegetableslicing machine.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vegetable slicingmachine which lends itself to the eflicient shredding and slicing ofboth leafy and root vegetables, one that is assembled and disassembledwith ease and facility for cleaning and sterilizing, and one which ishighly effective in action.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a vegetableslicing machine which is sturdily constructed, one simple in structure,one economical to manufacture and assemble, and one of optimum utilityfor home use or commercial use.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will befully apparent from the following description when taken in conjunctionwith the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an isometric view of the machine of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view on an enlarged scale, with parts in section, taken onthe line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view with parts in section taken on the line 33 of Figure2;

Figure 4 is a view with parts in section on an enlarged scale, taken onthe line 4-4 of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is an isometric exploded view of the cutter assembly employedin the machine of the present invention.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numeralsindicate like parts throughout the several views, the reference numeralin Figures 1 to 4 designates an upright housing having one end open, asat 12 in Figure 4.

A rotatable cutter assembly, designated generally by the referencenumeral 14, is mounted in the housing It) so as to bridge the open end12. The assembly 14 inoludes a pair of blades 16 arranged in end to endspaced relation, each blade 16 being in the form of a flat strip andhaving a cutting edge 18 extending along one side thereof.

A cutter support 20 is cooperatively disposed inwardly of and adjacentthe blade strips or blades 16, the cutter support being formed with aradial slot 22 in which the blades 16 are mounted. The cutter support 20is fabricated of a pair of half discs 24 and 26 mounted on arms 28 and30, respectively, projecting from opposed sides of a sleeve member 32,as shown in Figure 5. An S-shaped blade support element 34 supports theblades 16 so that their cutting edges 18 face in opposite directions,the element 34 having a sleeve member 36 at its midpoint.

A motor 38 is supported Within the housing 10 on a shelf 40 above theopen bottom of the housing 10 and has its drive shaft 42 projecting intoa compartment 44 formed in the housing 10 by the open end of the latterand a vertical partition 46. The lower end of the compartment 44 is openand forms a discharge opening for the housing 10. A sleeve 48 fits overthe projecting end portion of the drive shaft 42 and carries a key 50slidably received in keyways provided in the sleeve members 32 and 36.The free end of the drive shaft 42 is spaced inwardly from the open endof the housing 10. The sleeve 48 and key 50 constitute the meansconnecting the cutter assembly 14 to the shaft 42 for rotation with theshaft 42. A set screw 52 secures the sleeve 48 to the shaft 42 andanother set screw 54 secures the sleeve member 36 to the sleeve 48. Athumb screw 56 adjustably secures the sleeve member 32 on the sleeve 48between the free end thereof and an enlarged portion 58 provided on theend of the sleeve 48 adjacent the motor 38.

A stub shaft 68 is receivable in the sleeve member 36 and sleeve member32 and has a rounded portion on one end received in a recess 62 providedin an openable and closable door 64 extending over and normally closingthe open one end 12 of the housing 10.

The door 64 is connected to the adjacent portion of the housing 10 bymeans of hinge elements 66 and a trough 68, having one end open and theother end closed, is mounted on and formed integrally with the outerface of the door 64 with the open end thereof in communication with theopen one end 12 of the housing 10 when the door 64 is in the closedposition.

Cooperatively mounted with respect to each of the blade strips or blades16 are a plurality of knife elements 70, each knife element including athreaded shank 71 with a flat knife 73 projecting from one end thereof.The knife elements 70 are arranged in a line parallel to and spaced fromeach of the cutting edges of the blade strips or blades 16, the shanks71 of the knife elements 7 0 being each individually threadedly engagedin threaded holes provided in the thickened portions 72 of the halfdiscs 24 and 26, as shown in Figure 5. The knife element 78 is disposedso that the knives extend transversely of and are adjacent the cuttingedge of each of the blade strips or blades 16. Each knife element 70 isprovided with a lock nut 74 for securing it in any position of itsadjusted movement into and out of the associated half disc 24 or 26.

Within the trough 68 is a vertically extending pusher blade 76 mountedupon one end of a push rod 78 having a handle 80 on the other end andexteriorly of the closed end of the trough 68.

A switch 82 in the walls of the housing 10 is in circuit with the motor38. A latch assembly 84 on the same wall of the housing 10 and on theadjacent portion of the door 64 secures the door 64 in the normal closedposition.

In use, the cutter support 20 is adjusted upon the sleeve 48 toward andaway from the blade 16 to regulate the thickness of the slice ofVegetable to be cut when fed through the face of the cutter support 20from the trough 68 and by a manually applied pressure to the push rod 78and to the attached pusher blade 76. The knife elements 70 areindividually adjustable so that they project out of the face of thecutter support 20 and extend transversely of and are coplanar with thecutter edge of the blades 16. One or more of the knife elements 70 maybe used and when used they serve to shred into strips the vegetable fedthrough the trough 68 prior to engagement by the adjacent blade 16, withthe motor 38 energized and the cutter assembly 14 rotating with theshaft 42 of the motor 38.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vegetable slicing machine, a housing having an open end, and arotatable cutter assembly mounted in said housing so as to bridge theopen end thereof, said assembly including a sleeve element, a supportelement carried by said sleeve element, a pair of blades arranged inend-to-end spaced relation, each blade being in the form of a flat stripand having a cutting edge extending along one side thereof, said pair ofblades being supported in said support element so that the cutting edgesface in opposite directions, a cutter support cooperatively disposedinwardly of and having radial slots receiving said blades, and aplurality of knife elements arranged along a line parallel to and spacedfrom the cutting edge of each of said blade strips, each knife elementincluding a threaded shank and a flat knife projecting from one endthereof, the shanks of said knife elements being each individuallythreadedly engaged in said cutter support with the knives disposed so asto extend transversely of and adjacent to the cutting edges of saidblade strips.

2. A vegetable slicing machine comprising a housing having an open endand a bottom, a drive shaft in said housing and spaced inwardly from theopen end thereof, a cutter assembly mounted in said housing so as tobridge the open end thereof, and means connecting said cutter assemblyto said drive shaft for rotation with the latter, there being adischarge opening in the bottom of said housing, said assembly includinga sleeve element, a support element carried by said sleeve element, apair of blades arranged in cnd-to-end spaced relation, each blade beingin the form of a flat strip and having a cutting edge extending alongone side thereof, said pair of blades being supported in said supportelement so that the cutting edges face in opposite directions, a cuttersupport cooperatively disposed inwardly of and having radial slotsreceiving said blades, and a plurality of knife elements arranged alonga line parallel to and spaced from the cutting edge of each of saidblade strips, each knife element including a threaded shank and a flatknife projecting from one end thereof, the shan'ks of said knifeelements being each individually threadedly engaged in said cuttersupport with the knives disposed so as to extend transversely of andadjacent to the cutting edges of said blade strips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS477,377 Martindale June 21, 1892 523,771 Mann July 31, 1894 2,035,339Powers Mar. 24, 1936 2,341,582 Turner Feb. 15, 1944 2,807,302 Qua-lheimSept. 24, 1957

